The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-21
THE PRESS A MIGHTIER ENGINE THAN
THE PULPIT.

THE PULPIT.
While all are willing to accord tt
the pulpit its power to influence, VI
are apt to undervalue, or overlook, tht
power of the Press. Yet the latter il
the mightier engine of the two. Whil.
the power Of the pulpit is limited to 6
comparative few, the newspaper is il
the hands and the homes of nearly al
in the land.
The man who never enters church
reads and studies the newspaper; and
if its teachings are healthy and pure
they must necessarily exert beneficial
influence upon his heart and his life.
The cheapness Of newspapers gives
them an immense circulation and he
| is poor indeed who cannot afford to
buy them.
THE NEWSPAPER A POWERFUL AND
FAR REACHING FACTOR FOR
GOOD.
The very fact of its availability
makes the newspaper a powerful
and far reaching factor for good.
1t travels over the world enters the
palace and the cottage peDetrates
where the voice of the pulpit cannot
reach; aud goes into humble homes
where the book, by reason Of its great
er cost, has no power to enter. Bull
wer pronounced it law book for the
indolent, a sermon for the thoughtless,
library for the poor. The newspa-
per is really the poor mans book, and
one that he need never 60 without.
1t has been said, "to teach people
to read, you make them virtuous.' u
That depends on the kind of reading
put before them.
A newspaper, conducted in the
interests of virtue and morality,
cannot fail to exert a powerful in
fuence for good. 1t is true, it
reports crime, not for the purpose Of
satisfying any morbid cravings, but,
because it is "a map of busy life,' y
and, unfortunately, crime forms a
great part of this life, and as a faith
ful cbronicler of daily events, the
newspaper cannot ignore the bad, and
confne itself simply to the good. At
the same time, while exposing crime
it denounces it. 1t often unmasks
what is concealed and but for its ef:
forts in this direction, many crimi'
nal would escape the hand of justice.
In this respect, the Press is not only a
purifier of public morals, but a terror
to evil doers.
THE NEWSPAPER A FAITHFUL, NEVER
WEARY, INVALUABLE TEACHER.
The newspaper is faithful, never
weary, and invaluable teacher. 1t
carries a man out of the immediate
circle Of self. Shows him what is 60
ing on outside of his own narrow
sphere, and brings the whole world to
his doors, when be could not 90 to
even a small portion Of it perhaps
The newspaper is the greatest enlight'
ener of the age. Without it coun-
try would be plunged into an abyss Of
ignorance and prejudice. 1t would be
as if a great Chinese wall was built
up, excluding all the nations, hamper
ing progress, and shutting out the
light of knowledge.
As A TEACHER 1T ExCELs ALL
OTHERS.
The miscellaneous information i'm.
parted by the newspaper makes it an
invaluable teacher; and in this respect
it excels all others. The pulpit and
political orator, must confine himself
to one theme; the public lecturer
must do the same, and even the book
cannot possibly embrace all the sub
iects treated of by the newspaper
A NEVER FAILING STREAM OF IN
FoRMATIoN-REFRE AMI
MIND-INvIGORATING.
As an imparter of information. its
| noc;tion is unioue-there is NOTHING